Marauders: Hogwarts Before Harry Dropped In
by Gemma Lovell
Summary: He heard his brother let out a small cry. “Fine...but I’m telling Dad.” NOTE: ALL REVIEWS WILL GET READS, REVIEWS, and REPLIES! IF YOU WANT YOUR STORY REVIWED, REVIEW MINE!
1. Chapter 1

This particular September morning that James Potter woke up to the sound of his alarm clock ringing and banging of his mother making breakfast, he was in an especially bad mood. Knowing this would be his first day at Hogwarts, the school his entire family had gone to, didn't make him feel excited, or safe, or happy- all this boy, a boy at the ripe young age of eleven, wanted to do was go back to sleep. What James Potter certainly didn't want to do was get a speech from his parents about "upholding the family honor" and consequently ruin his appetite. Okay, he could admit it- James considered himself a little mischievous. But he wasn't necessarily a _troublemaker_. It's not like he was a bad kid, or anything. He didn't steal things, or light things on fire, or make things explode on his teachers- except maybe that one time, now that he thought about it. As he tumbled out of bed and threw on a pair of jeans, he knew he didn't want to get up. He nearly fell down the stairs just as his mother, Anna, called at him to wake up.

"I am up, Mum," he mumbled out as he sat at his family's big butcher block table for breakfast. His father, Edward, was up as well, unusual on a weekend before nine.

"Good morning, son! Did you rest up for your big first day at school?" his father practically shouted in a too perky, too loud, too chipper tone. James shot his father an "I'm tired, and I don't care" look as he sat down at the far side of the table. That was one of the perks of being an only child with a massive breakfast table- you could sit as far away from your parents as you liked. His mother set a plate of eggs and bacon down in front of him as his father began to speak.

"You know, son, your time at school will be the best time of your life. You'll have a huge portion of your fond memories created at that castle. You'll meet your friends, your enemies, your mentors, maybe even your future spouse." He gave Mrs. Potter an admiring look. James continued to stare at his breakfast. "So take things seriously. Don't screw things up. Don't dishonor all seven generations of Potters who went to Hogwarts before you-" and the rest James didn't bother paying attention to. Blah, blah, blah. Who really cared about their parents' opinions?

Remus Lupin sat at his kitchen table as well, not too too far away from James's, and listened intently to his own father's speech about Hogwarts. "We want you to know, Remy, that we are so proud of you and couldn't be happier about your attending Hogwarts. With your condition, your mother and I thought you'd never make it. Bless Professor Dumbledore for making those arrangements. He's a good man. Stay out of trouble with him, you hear?" His father gave him a stern, slightly threatening look. But Remus wasn't worried. His dear old dad was the kindest man to ever walk the earth. His mother was a bit more uptight than his father was today. Well, more like a lot more uptight, and on most days, really. Ever since the accident. Remus hated how his parents called it "the accident". Ever since the accident, she'd been uptight. Remus could hardly remember his mother before then, but his father swore she was never this paranoid.

"Have you got everything packed, sweetie? All of your books and things? Do you have enough socks? You still have your wand, right?" Elisabeth Lupin asked from the foyer, where she was triple-checking to make sure her only son had packed nearly everything he owned.

"Mum, you made a list. I'm positive I didn't forget to pack anything. I've got about a million pairs of socks packed up. It'll be fine. _I'll_ be fine. Relax. We don't have to even leave the house for ten minutes," Remus said to his mother in a calming voice as his mum walked back into her immaculately clean kitchen. "And," he added as an afterthought, "there isn't a chance in hell that I would forget my wand. Relax." His father winked at him.

"Yes, you're right. I should just sit and relax. Sit and relax." Elisabeth poured herself a cup of Earl Grey tea and sat across from the two most important people in her world. They all breathed a sigh of relief and silently swam in their own thoughts. Had someone taken a picture of the three of them sitting there on that Sunday morning, it would have looked perfect. But the Lupins were far from perfect.


	2. Chapter 2

Sirius Black's morning was considerably quieter than either Remus's or James's. Sirius woke up did the exact same thing he did every morning- why should this one be any different? _Oh yeah, _he thought to himself, _I have to be at King's Cross at eleven. Right. _Before he did much else, he'd better find his brother. His brother, Regulus, was a few years younger than Sirius, and could get away with murder. He was also a notorious neighborhood wanderer. Sirius put some proper clothes on, grabbed a book and ran out into the London street to look for him. On his way out, Sirius thought he heard the faint sound of someone vomiting. Probably his father. Everyone knew how Fearghal Black got on Saturday nights. And the aftermath was far from pretty. Sirius continued walking down the street. At the first intersection, he made a left and walked to nearest park. He found his brother sitting on a bench, staring at various people and dogs, trying to force some magic out of himself.

"What do you think you're doing? It's nine thirty in the morning. And I have plans. We're leaving this place. Now."

Regulus put on his best sad puppy dog face.

"Please? Just five more minutes. I want to see if I can light something on fire just by looking at it real hard!" Regulus pleaded. The look Sirius gave him was ice cold.

"Uh, no. I told you, I have relatively important plans that I can't reschedule. Let's go. Mum and Dad may treat you like a three year old, but I won't. Grab your stuff." Sirius picked up his book again and turned to walk away. He heard his brother let out a small cry.

"Fine. But I'm telling Dad."

Sirius rolled his eyes and kept walking. He was going to be late.

Lily Evans could not have been more excited for her first day of school. She woke up nice and early, showered, and picked out her best outfit. She braided her straight red hair a bit more carefully than she normally would have. She even put a little black eyeliner around her emerald-colored eyes. She couldn't have been more prepared for school, either. She had bought all of her things for Hogwarts over a month ago. She really couldn't bear the idea of forgetting anything. Her parents were non-Magic, and they kind of didn't get how excited she was. They were of course, happy for her, and certainly surprised. On the other hand, Lily's sister, Petunia, had been nasty since she got her letter in July. Maybe she was jealous. She'd always been a bit dramatic, but Lily didn't think she needed _all _of their parents' attention. Or maybe Lily had been stealing the spotlight from her all these years. It would have been easy. Lily had better grades, nicer friends, she was better at sports, and, come to think of it, she was better at everything, really. Now it didn't make a difference. Lily's realization of her eccentric ways had dawned on her the moment she opened her Hogwarts letter. Eccentric in a Muggle world, that is. She'd soon be with other people her age who were just like her. Petunia popped her head in the doorway of Lily's bedroom.

"Breakfast. And hurry up, it's already nine fifteen." Petunia seemed a bit bored.

"Sure, be right there," Lily retaliated in her most cheerful voice. _Sisters can be so annoying_, Lily thought as she walked into the kitchen.

"So, when do you want to leave?" her mother asked. She was too busy trying not to burn the oatmeal she was making to notice her daughter's answer.

"Maybe you and Dad could drop me off at a quarter past ten? I really want extra time to find the platform. It's supposedly between nine and ten- nine and three quarters, I think."

"Fine, then. Just get your trunk and we'll be on our way." Her mother still hadn't looked up from the oatmeal.

Severus had been in the car for several hours before he woke up and looked at the time. His father, who was driving, gave no sign that he had noticed Severus waking up.

"Where are we?" Severus asked his father.

"Just outside the city now. Another fifteen minutes or so till we get there. Why?"

"To get out of this car."

His father's expression became cold.

"Be happy I am driving you and not making you take a bus. That's what my father would have done."

Severus contemplated answering back, but decided better of it. A fifteen minute drive could turn into an hour-long walk. As the remaining members of the Snape family entered the outskirts of London, both father and son silently kept their eyes on the road.


	3. Chapter 3

Sirius had just finished packing up the multitude of books he had decided to bring with him to school when he looked at the clock, which told him that he had to leave soon if he wanted to make it to King's Cross by ten forty-five. Sirius grabbed his bag, his small trunk, and some money his mother had left for him on the table in the hallway before leaving the house. Trying not to disturb anyone, _especially_ dear old dad, he slipped out the front door as quietly as he could. The newly eleven year old boy started to walk down the street at a faster pace than he normally would. He knew he wanted to get to King's Cross by ten forty-five. Sirius had way too much to think about as he continued to walk down the street, this time making a right at the intersection. _What if no one likes me? What if I've got no friends? What if I fail out of school? _Sirius silently worried as he got nearer to the station. He could see one or two of the platforms, and he only had eight or nine blocks to go. Sirius took another look at his watch. He had less time than he thought. Trying to divert his mind from thoughts of school, he walked even faster. He wanted to get to the platform as quickly as possible. Finally at the station, Sirius pulled himself up a cart and piled his stuff onto it. Spotting the barrier between platforms nine and ten, Sirius took a deep breath and walked toward it. He looked around to make sure no Muggles were watching and stepped onto platform nine and three-quarters, hoping that the worst might be over.

Minutes before Sirius reached the station, Peter Pettigrew arrived with his father to be dropped off. Mr. Pettigrew saw how nervous their son was, and tried to console him.

"You will do great," his father, Peter Sr., assured him. "School is easier than it seems. You'll make friends soon enough."

Peter turned to look at his father with small, watery blue eyes, which gave him a slightly rodent-like appearance.

"You sure, Dad? You promise?"

"Yes. I promise. You'll make friends."

"Okay, then. I guess this is it."

Peter and his father stepped through the barrier onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. It was most unlike anything Peter had ever seen. Kids and teenagers of all different ages were milling around, saying goodbye to parents, hello to friends, and just being kids. Peter had never wanted to be a part of something as he did now. He stood there, mouth open, until his father started poking him along.

"It's unlike anything I've ever imagined," he whispered, quiet enough so his father couldn't hear. Peter looked at the massive clock that was suspended above the Platform's main sign- it was ten to eleven.

"Thanks for everything, Dad," Peter told his father as he gave him a final hug. _I'll be alright_, he thought as he walked towards the Hogwarts Express and his future.

Remus arrived at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters a bit earlier than either Sirius or Peter. Both of his parents had decided to come with him, but he didn't mind. He enjoyed his parents' company. Most of the time, at least. And today was too important for his mum and dad to miss.

Elisabeth started in first.

"Okay, you're absolutely positive you have everything you could possibly need? If you've forgotten _anything_, just write and we'll-"

"Dear," his father interjected. "You've asked the boy enough times. Give both of us a break." He smiley weakly at his wife to tell her he understood.

Remus had been watching and listening to his parents' conversation before actually speaking.

"So, then, I'm just gonna go board the train. Mum," he pecked his mother on the cheek, "Dad," he shook his father's hand, took his things, and went to go look for an empty compartment.


	4. Chapter 4

James's parents also insisted they both take him to King's Cross. Normally, he would have objected, but was too tired to care. He didn't feel like putting up a fight today. By the time they arrived at the station, Anna was nearly in tears. Mr. Potter wasn't too worried about his son- he was a smart kid, he could handle it on his own. It's not like they hadn't pointed the barrier that was the line between the Muggle world and the Magic world out to him before. He knew the way.

"Bye," James said in his kindest voice, not being able to think of much else to say that wouldn't bring his poor mother to tears. "I'll stay out of trouble, in case you were wondering. And thanks for the ride." James removed his things from the trunk of the car and walked through the barrier. He was surprised at the lack of people there. He saw another boy who looked about his age saying goodbye to his parents, but no one else was on the platform.

Once James was on the train itself, there were a few more students. A majority of them were prefects patrolling the halls. James picked a nice quiet compartment in the back of the train where he hoped he wouldn't be disturbed. Less than five minutes later another boy walked into his compartment. It was the boy he had seen on the platform.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" the boy asked. He gave the impression of being a slightly stuck-up goody-two-shoes type of person.

"Yeah, sure, mate," James replied. He got up to help the boy, who, even though he was taller than James, had a bit of difficulty getting his trunk up on the overhead self.

"So." The boy was trying to make conversation. James really couldn't care less, but pretended like he did. "I'm Remus Lupin. Are you a first year too?"

"Yeah, James Potter."

Remus extended his hand, but James ignored it. Remus, looking somewhat disappointed, leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. James was relieved. He hated making small talk.

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Sirius stepped onto the platform, luggage in tow, just minutes before the train was going to leave. The platform was crowded with people- not just students, but their parents, siblings, pets, and belongings. The closer Sirius tried to get to the train, the harder it became. _How are all of these people going to fit in one school, even if it is a castle? _he wondered. After saying "excuse me" more times than he could count, and kicking quite a few people in the shins, Sirius finally made it to the train. The next challenge was trying to find a compartment. The only one that seemed even remotely quiet was at the far end of the train. When he opened the door, there were already two other students in the compartment. Both of them looked around his age, and if he didn't know better, he'd say a little younger. One of the boys had very dark black hair and even when sleeping seemed small for an eleven year old. The other, who actually bothered to look up when he came in, had light brown hair and a friendly smile.

"Hey, you wanna sit, mate? We've got enough room, but you might have to put your trunk outside," the boy said in a cheerful voice. Sirius turned to go out the door with his stuff when the boy spoke again.

"Oh, and by the way, I'm Remus and this is James." The dark-haired boy, James, started to snore.

Sirius nodded and continued out into the corridor. He was reaching up to shove his bags on a shelf when he was hit by the feeling that someone was watching him. But when he turned around, no one was.


	5. Chapter 5

Severus, like Sirius and Peter, arrived just in time to board the train. He was hastily trying to make his way to an empty compartment on the Hogwarts Express. Severus hated crowds, and he hated being in confined spaces with people he didn't know. He even hated it when it was people he did know. Well, anyway, he wanted an empty compartment. On the train, he was having an extremely difficult time trying to find an empty compartment. Hell- he was hardly finding a compartment that wasn't full to the brim. _So much for thinking I could catch up on sleep_, he thought, not trying to hide his displeasure with his situation. In the very front of the train, a single compartment next to the prefects way empty. Severus could only hope that no one would bother him, especially not one of the prefects. He wasn't exactly the social, "let's make small talk about Muggle football" type. As the train began to pull away, another student came to the door of the compartment. The boy was small, and his watery blue eyes coupled with his size gave him a strange rodent-like appearance.

"Can I sit here?" he asked simply.

"Don't make too much noise." Severus went back to trying to sleep. About two minutes later, a girl came into the compartment. She sat down and began to talk. But Severus wasn't paying attention. She was really, really, pretty.

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Lily, unfortunately enough, arrived at the station later than she had planned or wanted to be there. By the time she'd gotten all of her things out of the family car, said goodbye to her parents and sister, figured out how to get onto the platform itself, stopped talking to people and started to look for a compartment, it was already five of eleven. Most everyone had already boarded the train, so even Lily's new friends didn't have enough room for her. Lily was going up and down the corridor when she finally found a somewhat empty compartment. Inside were two boys, both obviously first-years, one with dark hair that looked slightly unclean and another who looked, well, a bit like a rat. She knocked on the door before letting herself in and sitting down.

"I hope you don't mind me sitting here, because I'm not leaving," she said.

The dark-haired boy was looking at her with an expression of what seemed to be boredom, and the other wasn't really listening at all. _Okay, then, _she thought, _I suppose they don't mind_. She went outside into the corridor to have a look about- she'd never really been on a train before. But when she looked down the narrow hallway, there was one other person. The person was a he- it seemed that a lot of boys were here- and he was trying to get a bag onto a shelf in the back of the train. Lily thought he was really cute, so she watched him for a moment before he started to turn around again. She ducked back into her own compartment and prepared for what she could only assume would be a very quiet train ride.


End file.
